Seam-dampener.



F- C. BARNES.

SEAM DAMPENER.

I APPLICATION FILED JUNE 19, I913. 1 1 fifig i Patented Apr. 6,1915.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

w I r M00 I g BY IHL' NORRIi PETERS co., PHOTO-LITHQ, WASHINGTON, D. c.

F. C. BARNES SEAM DAMPENER.

APPLlCATlON FILED JUNE 19. I913.

Patented Apr. 6, 1915 4 SHEETS*SHEET 2.

I I l i a M m a fNVE/ZTOR.

WIT/V55 ATTORNEY.

THE NORRIS PETERS c0 1 PHDTC'LITHQ. WASHINGTON D. c.

F. C. BARNES.

SEAM DAMPENER.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 19. 1913.

htented Apr. fi, 1915.

4 SHEETS SHEET 3.

III III/Il/I/I/Q; 5%

IHE NORRIS PETERS CO, FHDTOVLITHO, WASHINGTON, D, c.

F. C. BARNES.

SEAM DAMPENER.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE I9. 1913.

Patented Apr. 6, 1915.

4 SHEET HEET A ING 'HE NORRIS PE 60., PHOTC-LITIIO U N ITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

FRANK C. BARNES, OF HADDON HEIGHTS, NEW JERSEY, ASSIGNOR T0 NATIONAL CHEMICAL COMPANY, OF SYRACUSE, NEW YORK, A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

SEAM-DAMPENER.

Application filed June 19, 1913.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FRANK C. BARNES, of Haddon Heights, in the county of Camden in the State of New Jersey, have invented new and useful Improvements in Seam- Dampeners, of which the following, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, is a full, clear, and exact description.

This invention relates to certain improvements in seam dampening machines for moistening fiat turn-down collars along the line of the fold to facilitate folding along such moistened line preparatory to ironing or smoothing the folded edge.

The main object is to provide simple means for automatically and simultaneously feeding, guiding and moistening collars in rapid succession along the lines of their folds and on both sides thereof so that the collar may be easily folded without liability of over-straining or breaking the threads of the fabric.

Another object is to provide means operated by the collar for controlling the engagement of the moistening and feeding device therewith.

A further object is to enable the dampening device to be adjusted relatively to the collar guide so as to effect the moistening of the collar at the proper distance from the seam uniting the back and front portions of said collar.

A still further object is to make the moistening cables of substantially equal length so that they may be easily and conveniently interchanged, removed or replaced at will.

Another object is to provide simple means for tensioning the cables upon their respec tive drums or idlers for the purpose of automatically taking up slack and facilitating their removal and replacement.

Other objects and uses relating to specific.

parts of the machine will be brought out in the following description.

In the drawings-Figures 1 and 2 are respectively a top plan and a front elevation of a collar-dampening machine embodying the various features of this invention. Fig. 3 is an enlarged longitudinal vertical sectional view of the upper portion of the machine taken on line AA, Fig. 1. Figs. 4 and 5 are enlarged transverse vertical sectional views of upper portions of the machine ta-ken respectively on lines BB and Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Apr. 6, 1915.

Serial No. 774,626.

CC, Fig. 2, except that the cam ring and its operating means, Fig. 1-, are in their normal positions instead of active. Figs. 6 and 7 are perspective views of the cams for controlling the raising and lowering of the upper shaft which carries one of the moistening belts. Fig. 8 is an enlarged top plan of the feeding table showing the presser foot, collar guides and lower moistening belt. Fig. 9 is a longitudinal vertical sectional View through the feeding table and presser foot taken on line DD, Fig. 8. Fig. 10 is an enlarged top plan of the lower reservoir and belt-supporting sheaves and idlers mounted thereon, together with a portion of the lower moistening belt. Figs. 11, 12 and 13 are detail sectional views taken respectively on lines E-E, F F and GG, Fig. 1O.v Fig. 14 is an enlarged transverse vertical sectional view through the lower and upper reservoirs and intervening portions of the machine taken on line HH, Fig. 1. Fig. 15 is a transverse vertical sectional view through the feeding table and driving shafts for the moistening belts taken on line II, Fig. 2, showing more particularly the presser foot and tripping finger for the clutch-controlling cam by which the upper shaft is lowered and raised as the collar enters and leaves the machine. Figs. 16 and 17 are perspective views of the clutch sections between the cam sleeve and driving shaft.

This machine comprises a main supporting-frame or standard 1 having a suitable supporting base and laterally projecting arms or brackets 2- and 3 located at one and the same side of the machine near the bottom and top thereof for supporting suitable reservoirs 4L and 5, the intermediate portion of the frame being also provided with opposite laterally projecting arms or brackets -6 and 7 for partially supporting a main driving shaft 8 and a superposed counter shaft -9, the bracket -7 also serving to support a sliding plate 10 carrying one end of both of the shafts 8 and 9- so that both may be adjusted longitudinally for effecting a corresponding adjustment of the moistening belts as 11 and 12 which are passed around grooved wheels 13 and 14 on the ends of said shafts.

The main shaft -8 is provided with a grooved loose pulley l5 having a clutch section 16--, which, together with the pulley, is movable axially into and out of operative engagement with acorresponding clutch section 17, the latter being secured to the adjacent end of the driving shaft 8 by a set screw 18.

an intervening coil spring 19- surrounding the shaft but are adapted to be brought into engagement with each other by axial shifting of the loose pulley. 15 through the medium of a collar -20- which is loose on the shaft and is provided with a V-shape cam 21- coacting with a similar cam groove 22 on the adjacent end face of the sliding plate -10 as shown more clearly in Fig. 2, said collar being provided with a radial handle 23- by which itmay be rocked upon the shaft to throw the cam .21' into and out of registration with the are secured respectively to the driving shaft 8 and counter shaft 9 just inside of the'inner face of the upwardly projecting part of the sliding plate 10. I

In order that the plate 10 may be adjusted longitudinally for effecting a corresponding adjustment of the shafts 8 and 9- and moistening belts 11'- and 1 12 driven thereby, the bracket -7-is provided with a lengthwise slot -7- for receiving a clamping screw -10 engaged with said plate for rigidly holding it in its adj usted' position; v

The counter shaft 9 is movable'or tiltable vertically to throw its belt-driving pulley -'14 and adjacent portion of the belt toward and from the coacting lower pulley 18 into and out of operative engagement 7 with the collar and for this purpose is journaled: near one end in a tiltable bearing which is pivoted at 26 to and between upstanding arm's-of the-plate 10 as shown more clearly in Figs. 1 and 2, the

shaft being held against endwise movement relatively to the driving shaft 8 by means of a; collar and the hub of the corresponding pinion 24lwhich engage opposite ends ofthe bearing 25-. In like manner, the, driving shaft 8 counter shaft by means of the'camcollar 20 and hub of the corresponding pinion These" clutch sections are normally forced apart by feed the collar across the surface of the is held:

against endwise movement relatively to th'e' 707 The driving pulleys 13- and 14- 'for the belts ll and 12 are detachably secured to the adjacent ends of their'respective shafts by means of cap screws orbolts 28 as shown more clearly in Fig. 3 which permits said pulleys to be replaced byxnew ones when necessary or desirable. without displacing the shafts; 7

A- substantially flat feeding table 30- 1s secured. by suitable fastening means, as screws 31, to the upper face of the bracket 6 in a horizontal plane between the adjacent portions of'the shafts 8 and 9 and is provided with an opening --32-= therethrough for receiving the upper edge of' the' lower pulley -13 and permitting it to coact with thevsuperposed' pulley 14- so that the'meeting faces of the belts 11- and 12' may engage and 9O table These folding collars are usually provided with a seam uniting the front to the back portions and, when the collar is fiat forms a lengthwise rib alinedwith the upper edge of the tabs of the collar which is folded just at onesside: of'the seam. This r1b is utilized in guiding the collar while it isbeing fed through the machineso as to moisten such collar. along a line parallel with and in close proximity to theseam 'a-nd for this purpose I have provided a guide plate 33 secured to the underside of the feeding table 30 by suitable fastening means as screwsand provided with rearwardly extending raised ribs 35- proecting through the opening 82' and v spaced a suificient distance apart to' form a groove 36 in which the seam of the collar as a is adapted to travel, the ribs 35-- serving to'enga ge opposite sides of the seam v or rib of the collar to guide the same, in'the manner described. Directly above and coacting with the guide ribs -35- is a presser foot 37' formed on one end of a spring arm 38 which is riveted or otherwise 5 secured toone edge of the table as shownmore clearly in Fig. 9 and is adjustable by means of a screw 40 for varying the de-- gree, of pressure of the foot 37- upon the collar as may be desired. The presser foot 37 is located directly over the guide ribs 35--- some distance to the front of the meeting faces of the belt-driving rollers 13 and 14- but in the use of my im- 7 prm ed automatic clutch-shifting device hereinafter described and which is adapted to be operated by the collar upon its'entrance and fed between said rollers, it is desirable touse an additional presser foot --41 located between. the presser foot 37- and feeding rollers just above the table and is mounted on the lower end of a spring arm -l2 which is secured by suitable fastening means, as a screw -4;3-, to the upper arm 3-- above the table.

Collar gripping and releasing device-As previously stated, the upper shaft 9 is movable or tiltable vertically to a slight angle relatively to the shaft 8and about the axis of the pivot -26- sufiicient to separate the contiguous faces of the belts 11 and 12, the object of which is to prevent accumulations of excessive moisture at the surface of the table when no collars are present between the belts as would be the case if the belts were allowed to travel. in contact and for this purpose I have provided the shaft -9 with a vertically movable bearing 29 which is guided in vertically elongated openings or ways 27 in the upper portion of the standard -1 just above the plane of the table 30- but below the arm 3 and is held against endwise movement by plates 4-fl, the latter being secured to opposite sides of the adjacent portion of the standard preferably by screws as shown more clearly in Figs. 3 and 14;. This bearing 29 and, therefore, the shaft 9 is spring-pressed downwardly by means of a coil spring +46- located in the interior of the upper portion of the standard 1 and having one end engaged with the upper side of the bearing 29 and its other end engaged with an adjusting screw l7- in the top of the standard for varying the tension of the spring and thereby varying the pressure with which the wheels or rollers 13 or rather the belts driven thereby are brought into engagement with each other. A pair of collars 48 and 49 are secured by set screws to the driving shaft 8- some distance apart for receiving between them a cam sleeve -52- which is of somewhat larger interior diameter than the exterior diameter of the shaft for receiving a sliding clutch collar 53, the latter being movable axially within the sleeve into and out of engagement with a corresponding clutch face on the adjacent end of the collar 49 and is forced into engagement with said clutch face by means of a coil spring 55 having one end bearing against the collar 4l8- and its other end bearing against the adjacent end of the clutch sleeve 53 as shown more clearly in Fig. 3. The ends of this cam sleeve are preferably journaled upon reduced adjacent ends of the collars 48- and l9 which serve to hold the sleeve against endwise movement except as the shafts 8 and -9 are moved endwise in the manner previously described for adjusting the moistening belts relatively to the collar guide. One end of the sleeve lies directly under the central portion of the superposed bearing 29- for the shaft 9 and is provided with a cam or eccen tric portion 56 adapted to engage and normally hold the bearing -29 and wheel-end of the shaft 9 in an elevated position when the machine is at rest or when there is no collar present between the meeting faces of the moistening belts. In order that the raising and lowering of this shaft may be controlled entirely by the collar, I have provided an auxiliary shaft or spindle 60- ournaled in suitable bearings 61 on the bracket 6 and upright standard --1 some distance below the feeding table 30 and extending from a point near the plane of the moistening belts at one side of the standard to a point in proximity to the opposite end of the cam sleeve 52 as shown more clearly in Figs. 1 and 2, the end of this shaft 60 nearest the belts being provided with an upwardly projecting trigger'finger 63 projecting through the opening 32 and slightly above the top of the table -30 and also into a lengthwise slot -6% in the superposed presser foot l1 and, therefore, in the path of movement of the advance end of the collar when inserted into the machine for moistening. The opposite end of this auxiliary shaft 60 is provided with an upwardly projecting crank arm -66 which is connected by a link 67 to a pin 68 on the periphery of a cam ring -69 as shown more clearly in Figs. 1, 2, 4 and 14. This cam ring 69 surrounds the adjacent end of the cam sleeve 52 and is of somewhat greater interior diameter than the exterior diameter of said sleeve to allow it to move radially or transversely of the shaft 9, the lower end of said ring being pivoted at -50 to the adjacent end of the plate 10.

One edge of the ring is provided with diametrically opposite but reversely arranged cam faces 70 and -70- terminating in diametrically opposite but reversely arranged stops -71 and -71 for cooperative engagement with a stud or in -72- which projects radially from one side of the clutch sleeve -53- through an axially elongated slot -73 in the adjacent side of the cam sleeve -52- as shown more clearly in Figs. 4 and 7. The opera tion of this collar-controlled clutch mechanism is as follows: Assuming that the loose pulley 15 is operatively connected to the shaft -8 through the medium of the clutch 17- for rotating the shafts 8 and 9 and moistening belts carried by their respective pulleys 13 and -14 and that the cam sleeve 52- is in the position shown by dotted lines in Fig. 5 for holding the shaft -9 in its elevated position to separate its moistening belt from the lower belt 11, then, as the operator in- I will encounter and rock the trigger 63 forwardly to the position shown by dotted lines in Fig. 15 until the upper end of said trigger finger passes below the surface of thetable by which movement the auxiliary.

shaft 60- will have been rocked, thereby similarly rocking the crank arm 66 toward the shaft 8 to eflect a radial shifting movement of the cam ring 69 through the medium of the link 67 sufficient to move the shoulder 7lout of the path of movement of the outer end of the pin or stud 72-, it being understood that the stud had been previously engaged by the cam face '70- for withdrawing the clutch sleeve 53 out ofengagement 'with its. companion clutch face 54.-

against the action of the spring 55. After the clutch pin 72 has been released in the manner described, the spring 5'5 automatically forces the clutch sleeve -53 into engagement with the rotating "clutch collar 4L9, thereby rotating the clutch sleeve and its radially projecting stud or pin 72 around the adjacent face of the cam ring-69 until it engages the oppositecam face and thereby withdraws the clutch sleeve 53 from interlocking engagement with its clutch collar -l9'whereupon the pin engages the limiting stop 7 1- to prevent further rotation of the clutch collar. During this last action, the cam sleeve 52 is rotated substantially one-half revolution by reason of the fact that the pin 72 engages in the slot -73 and thereby keys the cam sleeve to the clutch sleeve. This half turn of the cam sleeve 52- causes the cam 56 to travel from the position shown by dotted lines to the position shown by full lines in Fig. 5, thus releasing the bearing -29- and its shaft 9 and allowing the spring -46 to press said shaft downwardly to bring its moistening belt into contact with the collar and, in view of the fact that both shafts and their belt-supporting rollers are driven at.

the same rate of speed, the moistening belts engaging the opposite faces of the collar will feed said collar through the machine, said collar serving to hold the trigger 63 in its operative position throughout its entire length. Now, as soon as the trailing end of the collar leaves the trigger 63, the latter will be returned to its normal position by means of a retracting 1 spring which also returns the cam ring 69 to its normal position through the medium of the return movement of the crank arm 66 and link -67., thereby the link *(37- to hold the latter in opera tive engagement withthepin 68 on the camrlng 69- as theangular relation betweenrthe arm and link changes when 019- crating-the cam.

,Mois tem'ng deoic.The reservoirs 4: V d

and -5 are adapted to contain a suitable quantity of water and are removably mounted in recesses in their respective brackets 2 and .3 in planes some distance be-- low and above'the table -30. WVithin these reservoirs are ,journaled relatively largegrooved wheels 82and 83 having their lower edges immersed in the water for receiving and guiding portions of their corresponding belts '1l and -12, the lower reservoir provided with upwardly projecting arms 84- for receiving and supporting groovedidlers 85 for additionally guiding the belt *11- in its travel around the upper side of the feeding roller 13, one of the arms, -84, being pivoted upon the shaft of the grooved wheel --82- to swing forwardly and rearwardly and is spring-pressed in one direction by a coil spring S6 wound around the hub of the arm 84 and having one end attached to the adjacent side of the reservoir 4 and its other end attached to the arm 84- so as to cause the idler -85 to press against one side of the belt -11- to take up any slack therein and, at the same time, permitting the belt to be easily and quickly removed from the guide rollers or wheels when desired, the particular arrangement of the spring and arm being shown in Fig. 10.

WVithin the reservoir & is mounted .a pair of grooved squeezing rollers -8S engaging opposite sides of the upwardly traveling portion of the belt just above the water line to express excessive moisture therefrom, one of the rollers being mounted upon a rock arm 89 which is pivoted at 90 to the front side of the case as shown more clearly in Figs. 10 and 13, said arm being spring-pressed by a spring 91 toward the other roller, which spring is interposed between the free end of the arm 89- and an adjusting screw -92, whereby the tension of the spring may be varied at will to varyv the. pressure of the rollers upon the adjacent portion of the belt. In like manner, the upper reservoir 5 is provided with arms -93 and 9I- carrying grooved idlers 95 at opposite sides of the grooved wheel 83, the arm 9i being journaled upon a supporting shaft for the wheel -83 and is spring pressed in one direction by a coil spring 96 to take up anyslack in the belt.

Within the reservoir --5 is also located a pair of squeezing rollers 97- similar to the rollers 88, one of the rollers 97 being mounted upon a rock arm 98which is pivoted at 99 to the front side of the reservoir and is spring pressed toward the opposite roller by a compression spring 100 tensioned by an adjusting screw -10l for varying the pressure of the squeezing rollers upon the belt.

l/Vhat I claim is:

1. In a collar dampening machine, a collar feeding member movable to and from its feeding position, means normally hold.- ing the feeding member in its inoperative position, and additional means actuated by the collar for tripping said holding means and allowing the feeding member to assume its feeding position while the collar is en gaged thereby.

2. In a collar dampening machine, a collar feeding member movable to and from its feeding position, means normally holding' said member from its feeding position, separate means for forcing said member to its feeding position, and additional means operated by the collar as it is fed by hand toward the feeding member for tripping said holding means.

3. In a collar dampening machine, a collar feeding member movable to and from its feeding position, means for forcing said member to its feeding position, mechanism actuated by the collar for holding the feeding member in its feeding position while engaged with the collar, and additional means for automatically forcing the feeding member from it's feeding position when not engaged with the collar.

4. In a collar dampening machine, a col lar feeding and moistening device having one of its feeding members movable to and from its feeding position, means for forcing said member to its feeding position, collar actuated means for holding said member in its feeding position while engaged with the collar, and additional means for forcing said member from its feeding position when not engaged with the collar.

5. In a collar dampening machine, a collar feeding means having one of its feeding members movable to and from its feeding position, a trigger in the path of movement of the collar and operated thereby, means for forcing the movable feeding member to its feeding position, and separate mechanism controlled by said trigger for moving said feeding member into engagement with the collar and holding it in its feeding position while engaged with the collar, and for forcing said member from its feeding position when the collar passes out of engagement with said member.

6. In a machine for dampening seamed articles, opposite coacting dampening belts and rotary driving members therefor having adjacent portions traveling in the same direction for feeding the article between them, means normally holding said members apart, means controlled by the presence of an article at a predetermined point relatively to the feeding means for tripping said holding means, and additional means for forcing the feeding means into engagement with said article when the holding means is tripped.

7. In a machine of the character described, a support for the articles to be dampened, coacting rotary members for feeding and dampening said article, means normally separating the feeding and dampening members when no article is present between them, additional means controlled by the presence of an article between the feeding means for tripping the separating means, and further means for forcing the feeding means into engagement with said article when presented to a predetermined position relatively to said feeding means.

8. In a machine for dampening seamed articles, a rotary feeding member movable to and from its feeding position, a guide coacting with the seam to guide the article parallel with the seam, means for normally holding the feeding member from its feeding position, additional means including a trigger engaged by said article when present in the machine for tripping said holding means, and further means for forcing the feeding member to its feeding position simultaneously with the tripping of the holding means.

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand this 15th day of May, 1913.

F. O. BARNES.

Witnesses E. A. THOMPSON, EVA E. GREENLEAF.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. 0. 

